Thad Jean holds significant aspirations for his journey within the PFL, and his immediate challenge represents the most formidable opponent he`s encountered in his career thus far.
Jean is scheduled to face former Bellator welterweight champion Jason Jackson in the headline bout of PFL Nashville this Thursday. This matchup is a critical semifinal encounter in the division`s World Tournament. The winner will advance to the finals, where a grand prize of $500,000 and a prime contender spot are on the line.
Known as “The Silverback,” Jean initially entered the grand prix-style competition as an alternate. However, he made an immediate and strong impression when given the opportunity, securing a first-round knockout victory over Mukhamed Berkhamov. Jean is not only confident in continuing his winning momentum but also believes that defeating Jackson will propel him to the forefront of the PFL, alongside notable fighters like Dakota Ditcheva and Paul Hughes.
“We’re the future of our company, man, no doubt,” Jean stated in an interview. “Me and Paul Hughes and Dakota, they started where? In the European scene, right? Over there in England, and they are amazing. Look what they’ve done. Look what they’ve done for the PFL Europe scene. And then Dakota Ditcheva came down here and did a showstopper here as well. She didn’t just do it over there, it wasn’t just all talk. She came here and she put these girls out… she put a stop to every opponent and that’s amazing. And I want it to be the same thing with Thad Jean.”
Jean boasts an unblemished professional record and is undefeated in five appearances inside the PFL cage. The 26-year-old fighter began his tenure with the promotion through the Challenger Series and has since established himself as one of the organization`s most compelling prospects.
While acknowledging the potential outcomes of a victory over Jackson, Jean already considers himself among the elite welterweights globally heading into the contest.
“That I’m top 15 in the world — and it will go my way, and that I am top-15 in the world,” Jean elaborated. “I think I’m top 5 in the world. That’s where my mindset is. I just haven’t had the opportunity to show it yet. That’s the thing, this is my opportunity to show it. People don’t know it and people will see it as, ‘Oh, this guy is arrogantly talking. Oh, [he’s not] putting in the work.’ I’m doing everything that I have to do. I am the one who’s constantly going through the battles within the training grounds. You just haven’t seen me.
“You can’t say I’m ignorant. You haven’t seen nothing. Your notion to even be able to say that I’m arrogant is arrogance cause you don’t know me. I will, this me, beating Jason Jackson will put me at top 10, right? Everybody he beat I beat. So I’m going to take that, and then whoever else I have to beat to be No. 1, that’s where I’m gonna be. Can’t be the tail, I need to be the head, and I need to beat everybody in front of me and Jason Jackson is another guy in front of me that I have to beat. All credit to him, and I appreciate him.”
“Let’s be honest, because it’s against Jason Jackson, this is the main event. Jason Jackson, a veteran, a seasoned veteran against the up-and-coming star Thad ‘The Silverback’ Jean. What will happen as these two titans clash? Thad is coming out on top. And then Thad is going to take that baton, pass down those flowers, and continue to skyrocket this to the ceiling, to the skies where there is no limit. That’s what it’s going to be.”
Competing against Jackson is undoubtedly a tough challenge. Jackson secured his spot in the semifinal by defeating fellow former Bellator champion Andrey Koreshkov via second-round submission in April. Jackson holds an impressive record of 9 wins in his last 10 fights, with his only recent loss occurring after he lost the Bellator title to Ramazan Kuramagomedov in June 2024.
While fully aware of the difficulty of the task ahead, Jean also clearly sees the significant reward that awaits the victor.
“Thad Jean is the face of the PFL company and that’s going to be what it is,” Jean confidently stated. “At the end of this year, before it even comes to this time again next year, I will become the face of this company. I wouldn’t even say [this time] next year: I’m going to say December of this year, Thad Jean will become the face of the PFL, and I mean that completely and wholeheartedly.”
“People will see that Thad Jean, he has the it factor, and people want to watch that it factor. Either they will want to watch that it factor lose or they want to watch me win. Both ways is good. Views are always fantastic either way, it doesn’t matter to me. Just come watch.”
